This project aimed to develop a confined space atmospheric hazard risk assessment tool for mine reclamation sites. The researchers developed a software tool able to calculate the risk assessment of hazardous gas emissions, which could be used to prevent associated accidents in the mining industry

Chemical processes generated by the materials in mining waste dumps can cause oxygen deficient air to accumulate within confined spaces, without any visible signs of danger. This in turn can lead to fatalities if workers, and subsequently rescuers, enter the confined space

To enable mining engineers and others to identify these hazards, researchers developed a new risk assessment tool, called the Atmospheric Fuzzy Risk Assessment (AFRA) expert system. AFRA uses “fuzzy logic” (“if - then” reasoning) to predict the risk of confined space atmospheric hazards based on current conditions

The AFRA tool could also be adapted for other types of work environments and industries

In partnership with the WCB of Nova Scotia